rned with figures painted to look like marble. Round the square are
various very beautiful buildings; and on one side of these there falls
the shadow of the temple, caused by the light of the sun--a beautiful
conception, carried out with great ingenuity and art.

Maestro Domenico, on his part, painting in oil, represented Joachim
visiting his consort S. Anna, and below this the Birth of Our Lady,
wherein he depicted a very ornate chamber, and a boy beating very
gracefully with a hammer on the door of the said chamber. Beneath this
he painted the Marriage of the Virgin, with a good number of portraits
from the life, among which are those of Messer Bernardetto de' Medici,
Constable of the Florentines, wearing a large red barret-cap; Bernardo
Guadagni, who was Gonfalonier; Folco Portinari, and others of that
family. He also painted a dwarf breaking a staff, very life-like, and
some women wearing garments customary in those times, lovely and
graceful beyond belief. But this work remained unfinished, for reasons
that will be told below.

[Illustration: ANDREA DAL CASTAGNO: DANTE

_(Florence: S. Apollonia. Fresco)_]

Meanwhile Andrea had painted in oil on his wall the Death of Our Lady,
in which, both by reason of his rivalry with Domenico and in order to
make himself known for the able master that he truly was, he wrought in
foreshortening, with incredible diligence, a bier containing the dead
Virgin, which appears to be three braccia in length, although it is not
more than one and a half. Round her are the Apostles, wrought in such a
manner, that, although there is seen in their faces their joy at seeing
their Madonna borne to Heaven by Jesus Christ, there is also seen in
them their bitter sorrow at being left on earth without her. Among the
Apostles are some angels holding burning lights, with beautiful
expressions in their faces, and so well executed that it is seen that he
was as well able to manage oil-colours as his rival Domenico. In these
pictures Andrea made portraits from life of Messer Rinaldo degli
Albizzi, Puccio Pucci, and Falganaccio, who brought about the liberation
of Cosimo de' Medici, together with Federigo Malevolti, who held the
keys of the Alberghetto. In like manner he portrayed Messer Bernardo di
Domenico della Volta, Director of that hospital, who is kneeling and
appears to be alive; and in a medallion at the beginning of the work he
painted himself with the face of Judas Iscariot, whom he resembl